Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Spring Steam Gala 2019

Description

8th - 10th March 2019

The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, one of the very few complete branch lines in the UK, is renowned for holding their annual Spring Steam Gala. An important event on many enthusiasts calendars, for featuring a varied range of trains running along the picturesque five-mile branch line.

Running over the cold, damp mornings of March 2019 a collection of engines tackled the steep gradients from Keighley to Oxenhope.

The 2019 Spring Steam Gala saw the return of LMS 'Jubilee' Class 4-6-0 No.45596 'Bahamas', having recently returned to steam, 'Bahamas' hauled its first heritage railway services. Also debuting at the event was BR 2MT No.78022 which has also recently returned to steam at Haworth in November 2018.

Gala Highlights:

LMS 'Jubilee' No.45596 'Bahamas':Built-in 1934 for the LMS as 5596, 'Bahamas', was the first of the four Jubilees of the class to be preserved, being purchased by the Bahamas Locomotive Society (BLS), as BR no. 45596, in 1967. 'Bahamas' has recently undergone overhaul at Tyseley and hauled its first mainline charter service on the 9th February 2019 from Oxenhope to Carlisle and return.

LMS 2MT No.46521:The locomotive was built at Swindon in 1953 at a cost of £13,756 and was initially allocated to Owestry in Wales. After spending the majority of its working life in Wales, No.46521 arrived at Barry Scrap Yard in 1967. Originally moving to the Severn Valley Railway in 1971, No.46521 was more recently purchased by Loughborough Standard Locomotives Group Ltd and is now resident on the Great Central Railway. No.46521 returned to steam in 2011 after overhaul at Loughborough.

LMS 5MT No.45212:Returning to the Worth Valley once again is LMS 'Black 5' No.45212, having returned to steam in 2016, No.45212 is commonly seen hauling services on the mainline but has spent the winter at the railway.

Footage is included from throughout all three days of the event, with a wide collection of shots at carefully selected locations along the 5-mile branch line. Trackside footage is included throughout the DVD, an aspect not available to the general public. A wide collection of freight, vintage, express and passenger services also feature throughout the DVD.

BONUS FOOTAGE:We have taken the opportunity to include some extra footage on the DVD, including visiting engine LMS 2MT No.46521 at the Great Central Railway and North Norfolk Railway. Making its first steam debut since returning from an overhaul, LMS 5XP No.45596 'Bahamas' hauled two charter services from Oxenhope to Carlisle over the famous Settle & Carlisle Railway on the 9th and 16th February 2019. Footage is included from both these mainline charters including shots from Gargrave Viaduct, Coniston Cold, Langcliffe, Helwith Bridge, Lazonby, Armathwaite and Birkett Common.